Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.

Really? I’m shocked that there are so many people that are okay with underage drinking and smoking and to some extent sex, as long as the kid does well in school. All three of those are very adult things. If those are okay for 16 year olds to engage in, why the tobacco, alcohol and statutory rape laws? We can’t have our cake and eat it too.

Do these 16 year old drinkers drive? And i guess their parents assume they are smart enough to handle sexual activity and its consequences. (See the see the my 17 year old knocked up a girl thread). As for the smoking.... yeah, that’s an easy habit to kick... might as well get started early.

Why not just lower the legal drinking age then? Most kids are ‘good’ anyway, why not let them unwind with a cig and a beer after school if they want to?

Just because a child will be doing something five years from now does not mean they can go ahead and do it today. I don’t understand the rush for a sophomore in high school to get wasted anyway. ( And no at that age they aren't drinking for leisure) Eleven year olds have to wait five years to legally drive. Oh well, maybe they should get on the road early too... you know, as long as they get good grades.

I mean really....

Smoking is just as dangerous for adults as it is for children, and you know that. The drinking age exists to prevent drunk driving, but that doesn't mean that everyone who drinks under that age drives drunk. Statutory rape laws are to prevent people from having sex with people significantly younger than themselves, not to prevent same-age teenagers from having sex. Also, ever hear of condoms?

The drinking age exists to prevent drunk driving, but that doesn't mean that everyone who drinks under that age drives drunk. Statutory rape laws are to prevent people from having sex with people significantly younger than themselves, not to prevent same-age teenagers from having sex. Also, ever hear of condoms?

Oh since smoking is dangerous for adults as well why delay getting children hooked on it right?

Condoms? No, what are those?
You can’t get adults to consistently use those things but 16 year old kids would? Okay then.

Statutory rape laws are there to prevent people having sex with minors. 60 year olds have sex with 24 year olds all the time. Many of those laws protect 16 year olds because they are deemed incapable of giving consent. But yeah just hand them condoms and let them have at it.

Jeez, nobody is saying they advocate that lifestyle for a teen. Simply that in a hypothetical situation of this vs that, it would be the choice of most posters to work with the more motivated teen rather than the one that has no apparent ambition. If you think quitting cigs is hard, try motivating a slacker.

Thatís what I thought at first too but some really dont think its a big deal and not just hypothetically.

Oh since smoking is dangerous for adults as well why delay getting children hooked on it right?

Condoms? No, what are those?
You canít get adults to consistently use those things but 16 year old kids would? Okay then.

Statutory rape laws are there to prevent people having sex with minors. 60 year olds have sex with 24 year olds all the time. Many of those laws protect 16 year olds because they are deemed incapable of giving consent. But yeah just hand them condoms and let them have at it.

A. Drinking and having sex are normal adult activities in moderation anyway.

I have been in charge of adults, and unmotivated slackers very rarely become anything else.

Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.